


i would wait forever and ever

by maxlenas



Series: hey dorothea do you ever stop and think about me [2]
Category: The Next Step
Genre: F/M, and dancemania never happened, bc hummer are still adorable, i wrote this after s6 but way before s7 came out, so yea s7 isnt canon here i guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:15:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28586328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maxlenas/pseuds/maxlenas
Summary: Alana took a deep breath. "Sorry Noah, but I can't be here. Especially when you're so obviously not over your ex.""HNNNNNGGGG!!!!" Yep, yet another strange noise made by Henry."M-my ex? Who-" Noah cut himself off as he saw Alana glance briefly at Richelle, and his eyes widened, "Richelle's not my ex!"-in which noah's celebrating his birthday back home for the first time in three years, and he brings his new girlfriend
Relationships: Minor Summer/Henry (The Next Step), Noah/Richelle (The Next Step)
Series: hey dorothea do you ever stop and think about me [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2094615
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	i would wait forever and ever

"Where's Noah?" Summer wondered.

"Yeah shouldn't he be here by now?" Henry asked.

"Actually, he had to pick up his girlfriend from the airport at the last minute." Richelle said, causing Henry to choke on his drink.

"His what?!" Henry asked, sharing a worried glance with Summer. This was _so_ not a part of the plan!

Currently, Richelle, Henry and Summer were all sitting in a booth at one of their favourite diners that also happened to be close to The Next Step. Not that all of them go there anymore though.

It's been three years since that fateful Regionals where Noah left A Troupe, TNS finally got their trophy back, and then, after that, A Troupe went on to win Nationals and Internationals. After Internationals, Richelle finally moved on from The Next Step, after all, she _was_ Co-Dance Captain with Summer after Noah left, so Richelle found herself wanting to accomplish more, but she knew The Next Step wasn't the place to do it anymore.

Henry, Piper and even Amy -who came back to TNS after Regionals- also decided to leave after Internationals. Summer was still at The Next Step though, but her & Henry had been going strong for years, and her and Richelle have had a close bond ever since they became Co-Captains, so they all tried to catch up as frequently as they could.

Today, though, was a special day. It was the first time Noah was in the city for his birthday in three years. That's right, Noah Erlick was turning twenty one today.

Noah had only moved back to Toronto a month or so ago after being away for years, so he was still readjusting to everything. Luckily, that also meant he had a lot of time to hang out with his two best friends. And he also got to hangout with some of his old A Troupe teammates occasionally.

Last month, when Summer first suggested for the four of them to hang out at the diner for Noah's birthday, he happily agreed. But just a couple of minutes ago, she had gotten a text from him.

_Sorry I'm late Richelle, my girlfriend apparently decided to suprise me and come into the city for my birthday, but I've explained what's happening and now she's coming along, hope that's okay!_

And that's where they are now.

"Since when did he have a girlfriend? Did you know he had a girlfriend?" Henry asked Richelle after reading the text.

"Nope. But I assume there's a reason he hasn't told us. There's no need to fret." Richelle said.

"Yeah babe, calm down, you're more freaked out than Richelle, and Richelle's-" Richelle looked up from her phone when she noticed that Summer had suddenly cut herself off.

"Richelle's what?"

"Uhh..." Summer said, wide eyed.

"Hey guys!" Noah said as he happily walked over to them, and Summer insantly let out a breath of relief.

"Noah! My man!" Henry said as he stood up to hug Noah, with Richelle and Summer following.

"Twenty one dude!" Henry said as he pulled away and let Summer hug Noah next.

"Happy birthday Noah." Summer said as she also pulled away and sat back in the booth. Noah barely got to say thanks before Richelle had him in a hug next.

"Hey Richelle." Noah said, chuckling.

"Hey Noah, happy birthday." Richelle said mumbled into his shoulder before pulling away. "I can't believe you're twenty one. I honestly still see you as that thirteen year old J Trouper."

"No you don't." Noah said, scoffing.

"Uh, yeah, I do." Richelle said before giggling. She stopped giggling though when she heard someone clear their throat.

"Oh, you must be Noah's girlfriend. I'm Richelle, it's so nice to meet you." Richelle said before she stuck her hand out for the woman to shake, which she did.

"I'm Alana, and it's so nice to finally put a name to a face. Noah's told me so much about you." Alana said as she, Noah and Richelle sat down and Henry made a strange noise.

"I bet he's mentioned us too. Oh I'm Summer by the way, this is my boyfriend Henry, Noah's other best friend." Summer said.

"Nice to meet you." Alana said. "But I mean, he's mentioned Henry a couple of times, and I hear stories about A Troupe & The Next Step in general quite often, but it's Richelle I hear about the most."

At that, another strange noise was made by Henry.

"You alright there, man?" Noah asked in confusion.

"Mhm, I'm great." Henry said unconvincingly.

"Okay..."

Suddenly Richelle groaned. "Alana, please tell me that Noah hasn't told you the story about when I got my tonsils out."

As if just being reminded of it brought back the entire memory in front of his eyes, Noah let out a loud laugh.

"Shut up Noah!" Richelle said.

"Uh, no, he hasn't." Alana said.

"Thank god. Most. embarassing. moment. ever." Richelle said.

"Oh hi Noah! It's so great to see you!" Noah said in the highest pitch he could manage, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, no surprise that you can go to that pitch Noah, considering your obvious voice crack all those years ago." Richelle said with no real bite in her tone.

"Hey! You know how sensitive I was about that! I almost didn't sing!"

"And you know how sensitive I am about the whole chipmunk thing!"

"You brought it up!" Noah said, and the both just stared at each other for five seconds before they burst into laughter.

"So... Alana," Summer said, trying not to grin at the way Noah and Richelle were acting, "how'd you meet Noah?"

"Oh, I was a barista at the coffee shop he frequented last year, we got to chatting a bit, went on a couple of dates and finally became official like a month before he moved back here." Alana said.

"And the distance doesn't bother you?" Summer asked.

"Not really, I knew what I was getting into when he mentioned his old dance studio for the third time in a five minute conversation." Alana said, and Richelle laughed.

"Sounds about right." Richelle said. "Ooh here's something I need to know, has he ever told you, completely out of nowhere, that he has a cat?"

"Yes!" Alana said, to which Richelle giggled and Noah groaned. "It was so weird!"

"I witnessed him say it once and it took everything in me not to laugh!" Richelle said, still giggling.

"Richelle..." Noah whined good-naturedly.

"Uh, uh, I have a cat!" Richelle said, imitating Noah almost to perfection, and Noah let out a soft chuckle.

"So Richelle, I've heard you're the best dancer ever, is that right?" Alana asked, and Henry let out another strange noise.

"Uhm, I mean, I wouldn't say-" Richelle said as she stumbled with her words, completely taken aback.

"Richelle," Noah said softly, "you're the best, no doubt about it."

"Um," Richelle said, blushing a little, a little stunned, "th-thank you."

"For just pointing out the truth? You're welcome." Noah said, and Richelle bowed her head, overwhelmed by the compliments.

"I feel offended!" Summer and Henry both said at the same time, and Noah laughed.

"Sorry guys, but as a former Dance Captain, we can't be bias, and I'm not doing that." Noah said.

"Stop." Richelle said softly, unable to stop smiling.

Alana bit her lip in thought as she looked at everyone in the booth and came to a decision.

"Alana, wait, why are you getting up?" Richelle asked, concerned.

"Um-"

"Alana, what's going on?" Noah asked.

Alana took a deep breath. "Sorry Noah, but I can't be here. Especially when you're so obviously not over your ex."

"HNNNNNGGGG!!!!" Yep, yet another strange noise made by Henry.

"M-my ex? Who-" Noah cut himself off as he saw Alana glance briefly at Richelle, and his eyes widened, "Richelle's not my ex!"

"AGGGGGGHHHH!!!!" No one except Summer even bothered to glance at Henry as he made the noises anymore.

"Really?" Alana asked in complete disbelief.

"Yeah, no, Noah and I have never dated." Richelle said as she stood up, subconsciously standing by Noah's side.

"You sure about that?"

"Completely!" Noah said.

"Well, then you guys obviously have some sort of connection that neither of you have noticed before, and I don't want to get in the way of that." Alana said. "Happy birthday Noah." And with that, Alana walked out, leaving Richelle and Noah stumped.

"I need some air." Noah said after a minute of silence, and walked out of the diner, but Summer, Henry and Richelle could still see him through the window near their booth.

"Richelle?" Summer asked softly. "You okay?"

"I- I didn't- I don't..." Richelle said, before her eyes widened in shock, "holy SHIT!"

"Did you just realise what I think you realised?" Henry asked, nearly bouncing in his seat.

"Don't say anything!" Richelle said as she turned to glare at Henry, the scary Richelle he first met all those years ago coming to light.

"Okay! I won't, I promise!" Henry said, raising his arms in mock surrender.

"Good!" Richelle said as Noah walked back in and Richelle turned to him. "Noah, I'm so sorry, I don't know why she assumed anything but-"

"It's okay Richelle." Noah said gently as he sat back down.

"Are you sure?" Richelle asked as she also sat back down, failing to notice that the way they were all sitting now made it seem like they were on a double date.

"Yeah," Noah said, smiling genuinely at Richelle, "I just wanna forget about all of that for tonight and just spend my birthday with my friends."

"HEAR HEAR!" Henry yelled.

"Hey man, what was with those noises earlier?"

* * *

A month later, Richelle was at The Next Step, choreographing A Troupe's Regionals Contemporary Small Group routine.

"Ozzy, make sure Winnie is held firmly this time please, we don't want a repeat of earlier." Richelle said.

"Come on! I was distracted one time!" Ozzy said, but at Richelle's glare, he shut up and nodded.

"Oh and Jacquie, make sure that you're really feeling the emotion of the dance, your tense face isn't going to wow the judges." Richelle said, and Jacquie looked a little affronted, but seemed to take what Richelle said into consideration.

"Kingston and Summer, you guys are doing great, as always." Richelle said, with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Okay everyone take a thirty minute break and then be prepared to perform full-out." Richelle said, and then went to walk down to Shakes & Ladders -yes, it actually kept it's name for _three years_ \- but she stopped herself when she saw Noah walk into the studio.

"Noah?" Richelle asked.

"Richelle? I didn't know you were going to be here." Noah said, taken by surprise.

"Yeah, Michelle & Emily asked me to choreograph the contemporary small group routine, what are you doing here?"

"They asked me to choreograph the hip hop routine." Noah said. "It's weird, it feels like I haven't seen you in forever."

"Hah," Richelle said nervously, "yeah, it's been a bit of a busy month."

"Same here, I've been doing a lot of thinking."

"Oh wow, that's new." Richelle said, fake gasping.

Noah chuckled softly. "I mean it, I-" Noah cut himself off, feeling like he wasn't saying what he wanted to say at the right time.

"Noah? You okay?" Richelle asked, reaching up to put a hand on his shoulder in concern.

"I'm in love with you." Noah blurted out, and Richelle froze.

"W-what?" Richelle breathed.

"Ever since my birthday, I've been looking back on every moment we've shared, even the small ones, and when I think about how I felt, and still feel for that matter, I can't believe I never saw it before." Noah said softly, glancing down at Richelle.

"N-noah."

"It's okay if you don't feel the same way Richelle, you're my best friend, and that will always be something amazing to me and-"

"Noah, shut up." Richelle said softly, with a beautiful small smile on her face.

"What?"

"I said shut up. You didn't even give me a chance to say that I'm in love with you too. I think I have been for a long time." Richelle said.

"Woah, well that- that's amazing, wonderful, I-um-," Noah paused, giving him a minute to collect himself, "so, would you like to go out on a date with me on Friday night?"

"Depends, where at?" Richelle asked as she crossed her arms, a playful smirk on her face.

"Your favourite diner?" Noah asked.

"Good answer." Richelle said, and at that, leant up to finally, finally kiss him. And of course, he kissed back in an instant. Their first kiss was cut short, however, when a squeal scared them out of it.

"Finally! I've only been waiting for over a month!" Summer said as she grabbed her phone from her cubby excitedly. "I need to call Henry! He's going to be so relieved!!!"

After Summer ran out, Noah and Richelle were left in silence until Noah let out a chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just, of course we'd have to finally get together when we're both at The Next Step on a rare day." Noah said, and Richelle giggled.

He did have a point though. Noah and Richelle may have known each other before they met at The Next Step, but TNS is what made them as close as they were today.

As Richelle looked up at Noah, a million quotes ran through her head, but she really only held onto one.

' _If you fall apart, I'll be there to catch you._ '


End file.
